Road Tolls: We fail to sit down and think through our plans thoroughly - KSM

In response to the announcement that road tolls would be reinstated by Kwasi Amoako-Atta, KSM has expressed frustration that leaders don't think through their plans thoroughly and that affects its citizens.

Speaking with GhanaWeb’s Doreen Abanema Abayaa, KSM articulated the roads minister stopped the collection of road tolls because he thought the government could maximize revenue through the E-Levy.

“I’m a much, much, older person, and this is part of my frustrations in this country, that to date, we are not going to sit down and do things after we think them through thoroughly. Everything we do is a 'knee jerk reaction'...

"Even when he (roads minister) was describing the road tolls, he talked about how it was not going to create traffic jams and it was going to be digitised,” KSM argued.

“Do you know how much that will cost to set up digital road tolls that can automatically open up when you come because you have a payment system? So there are not things that you even throw out there. Sit down, work on it and cost it. Doreen, that road tolls system, if it will work, and I pray that one day we will get it in Ghana.

“So far, there is one at the Universal of Ghana, Legon. But I like it, very small going into Legon. If you have paid the road toll, digitally it can scan an attachment you have in your car and the road will open,” he shared.

Refuting the minister's claim that there wouldn't be any traffic if road tolls were digitalized, KSM said it would be a terrific idea for the government to establish digital road tolls after careful planning.

“It is fantastic and if you want to duplicate this in the whole country, yes great but it costs so much. So this is what I’m saying, have we thought about it? Have we thought about it, have we about how much it will cost?

“Now he is down there already promising that we are changing the road tolls, we are taking it to a whole new level. There will be no traffic. Who said there will be no traffic because it is digital? There is still traffic. I just came from the US last week. When you get on road tolls, yes it flows but sometimes it slows down,” he stated.

The showbiz personality, therefore, concluded by noting that he will be glad to know the government can be truthful to its people and better explain its plans to its citizens.

“I’m saying the point that we can be honest with the people, number 1. Number 2, when we can thoroughly understand the programs we are launching so that finally when we launch them and if it comes out people will be happy and say aaaah! This is great.

“The government says it’s going to do XYZ and has done exactly. And that enhances the credibility of the government. Do you know what I’m saying? You don’t make all the noise about E-Levy,” he advised.

ADA/BB